Brentford continued the build-up to their first ever Premier League season with a pre-season friendly win over Boreham Wood. Ivan Toney and Tariqe Fosu scored as The Bees won 2-0 in Hertfordshire. The Bees had control for most of the contest and picked up a win, as well as getting an hour of match time in to the team that started the game.

Brentford had gone close a couple of times before Toney scored 23 minutes in. Boreham Wood had spells after and did hit a post in the second half before Fosu doubled the lead. With 24 days left until the Premier League season, The Bees added a win over Boreham Wood to one over AFC Wimbledon to make it two out two in pre-season.

Brentford took control of the game from the first whistle, dominating the midfield and pushing Boreham Wood back. The home side’s wing backs were soon employed as a back five and their strikers were left increasingly isolated as the game was played with The Bees on the front foot. Shandon Baptiste dictated play in the centre of Brentford’s midfield and The Bees attacked from his prompting, creating chances.

Baptiste probably came closest to opening the scoring in the first quarter of the contest. He volleyed wide when a corner was half cleared, but it was close enough to have Boreham Wood goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore worried. Baptiste then faded an effort wide with his left foot from another half cleared dead ball, creating the space with a nice feint on the edge of the penalty area. Sergi Canós had a shot blocked from a Mads Roerslev cut back and then saw a curling effort deflected wide.

The goal Brentford were threatening came just past the midway point of the first half. Canós, who was increasingly influential as the half wore on, found a pocket of space inside the Boreham Wood half and was able to pick a pass. He found Toney in the inside left channel, the striker took a touch and curled a shot out of the reach of Ashmore and in off the far post.

There was no doubt Brentford deserved to be ahead at that point. Boreham Wood had offered nothing as an attacking force but got further up the pitch after falling behind and posed a few problems. The end of the first half saw chances at both ends.

Max Haygarth fired wide for The Bees after Toney had won possession on halfway. Josh Rees then had a shot saved by Patrik Gunnarsson after a melee on the edge of the penalty area. Brentford immediately counter-attacked, Canós freed Dominic Thompson on the left, his cross just eluded Toney, who was crowded out, but reached Fosu. Fosu looked set to score but Ashmore reached up from a grounded position to claw the shot away.

Tyrone Marsh had a shot blocked for the home side. The ball was then recycled, and Kane Smith crossed, Rees arrived late, but headed wide from close range. Canós then tested Ashmore with a low shot that the goalkeeper gathered at the second attempt to ensure there was just a single goal in it at half time.

That had, however, become a two-goal lead for The Bees by the hour mark. Fosu scored the second, finishing off a low Thompson cross at the far post. Fosu arrived late to put the ball high in to the net, past Ashmore, and give the score line a more accurate look.

The start of the second half had been similar to the end of the first. Brentford were on top, but Boreham Wood had attacking potential and created chances. They almost equalised when Kabongo Tshimanga picked up the ball on the left and weaved inside, he let fly with a shot that cannoned off the post. Gunnarsson looked to have it covered but did seem surprised to see the ball hit the woodwork.

Gunnarsson also saved from Jacob Mendy Mendy and a Saman Ghoddos effort was blocked at the other end. A shot from Canós also deflected in to the arms of Ashmore soon after. Canós had another shot saved before Fosu got on the score sheet. That preceded Brentford changing ten of their starting line-up while Boreham Wood made five half time changes and had also made seven substitutes just past the hour.

And the game basically fizzled out from there. A more youthful Brentford line-up controlled the game without creating much. The game ended with a few spicy challenges and Halil Dervişoğlu seeing a shot blocked, but neither goalkeeper was tested in the last half hour.

Boreham Wood: Ashmore; K. Smith, Evans (sub Stephens h/t), Fyfield (sub McKenna 79 mins), Ilesanmi (sub Trialist 61 mins), Mendy Mendy (sub Trialist 61 mins); Rees (sub Trialist h/t), Mafuta (sub Raymond h/t), Ricketts (sub C. Smith); Marsh (sub Trialist h/t), Tshimanga

Brentford: Gunnarsson (sub Raya 61 mins); Roerslev (sub Stevens 61 mins), Goode (sub Russell 61 mins), Pinnock (sub Racic 61 mins), Thompson (sub Gordon 61 mins); Ghoddos (sub Gilbert 61 mins), Baptiste (sub Oksanen 61 mins), Haygarth; Fosu (sub Brook 61 mins), Toney (sub Dervişoğlu 61 mins), Canós (sub Valencia 61 mins)